Hallmark Moments
by Lola-2011
Summary: Holly's children visit her and Robert on Mother's Day, AU


Hallmark Moments

Robert & Holly

Rated: PG

Chapter 1 of 1

It was a most perfect day for mother's day. Not too hot, not too cold but just right. And so far the day had been rather quiet as well. She had her annual breakfast in bed, attended church, had lunch in town and returned home to the countryside.

Robert was marinating chicken in the kitchen. He always did the cooking on mother's day. Well it was really grilling not cooking. He stopped briefly to gaze out the window. He was admiring his beautiful wife whom he could see slightly in the distance. She was tending to her vegetable garden and her long, dark hair was being blown out by the afternoon breeze. She still took his breath away. Even after twenty seven years of marriage. Even after four children. Even from a distance. She was untouchably beautiful.

"Dad?" Ava called out. "Dad? Where do you want me to put these?" she asked, referring to the bags of groceries in her hands. "Earth to dad."

"Ava." he said, coming back to reality. "I didn't hear you."

"It's okay." she said. "You seemed deep in thought."

Robert moved to take the groceries fro her hands. "I was just watching your mother."

"I see." she smiled. "Is she in her garden?"

"Yes." he replied, glancing back out the window for a moment. "Where's Lance?" he asked, referring to his son in law. "And my adorable little granddaughter?"

Ava smiled her mother's smile. She looked so much like Holly. Beautiful pale skin and dark eyes. The only difference was their hair color, she took after her father in that department. At twenty five Ava was their oldest child and their only girl.

"Lance and Isabelle headed back to the store because we forgot to pick up limes." she starting taking things out of the recyclable bags. "I had him drop me off so that I could help you start getting dinner together.

"That's very thoughtful." he smiled at her. "What do you need limes for though?"

"Margarita's." she said mischievously. "I thought that since all of us were going to be here together that we would make the most of it. And besides mom's even more fun when she's tipsy." she told him. "Are we the first one's here, other than Charlie of course?"

"No." he breathed out. "Sam and his girlfriend of the week are attempting to play croquet out by the pool."

"Another new girlfriend?" she asked, opening the refrigerator up. "What happened to the other girl? Ashley...Ashton..."

"Ashby." he said. "She's out and this new girl, Mia, is in."

"Very nice." she replied. "Does she have as many tattoos as the last one?"

"None that I've noticed."

"What does mom think of her?"

Robert shrugged. "You know how she is." he told her. "She tries not to meddle."

"Not at all, huh?"

"No." he laughed. "But she keeps her thoughts and feelings out of Sam's business because she knows that there will be another one soon enough."

"I wish Jane was like that." she said, referring to her mother in law. "That woman is awful, daddy. She has to be a descendant of Satan."

"Did you at least send her a mother's day card?"

"And one of those edible flower arrangements too." she exhaled. "I'm trying to be a good daughter in law, dad, I really am."

"I know, sweetheart."

Ava finished putting away the rest of the perishables. "I think I'm going to go out and talk to mom." she said. "Oh and Benjamin is suppose to be bringing the dessert."

:"I hope it's store bought."

"I'm sure it is." she replied. "He burns toast."

She disappeared out of the french doors onto the patio and headed down the yard toward the gated vegetable garden. Once she stepped inside she pulled the gate shut behind her. "Hiding out?" Ava asked her mother.

"Not at all." Holly smiled, standing up and slipping off her gloves. "When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago." she said, meeting her mother in the middle for a hug. "Happy mother's day, mom."

Holly hugged her daughter tightly. "Thank you, darling." she smiled, pulling back. "Happy mother's day to you, too."

"Lance and Isabelle had to go back to the store for something." she told her. "Do you have any special requests for dinner? I mean I know dad has planned out this menu all on his own."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." she smiled. "Just don't let him grill everything, okay? There are some things that just aren't meant to be grilled."

"Yeah." she sighed. "Why does he do that?"

"Because aluminum foil is disposable." she laughed. "No pots and pans to scrub."

"There is a method to his madness."

"Always."

"The garden looks great, mom." Ava said, looking around. "I swear every year it gets bigger."

"Since your father retired he's been working on little projects around the house." she told her daughter. "He started expanding the fencing but then we had to hire someone to finish it."

"He couldn't do it himself?"

"No he could." she said. "But then he came up with the idea of building the tennis court and so he moved on to that. This morning he was talking about putting a pond somewhere on the property and stocking it with fish."

"Sounds like he needs a hobby."

"He's just a little antsy." she said. "As soon as Charlie finishes the school year I think we're going to take off for Europe for a couple of weeks. I was kind of hoping to make it a family vacation."

Ava nodded. "I'll talk to Lance."

"Good." she exhaled. "Why don't you go up and help your dad and I'll finish up here."

"Okay."

"I'll be there shortly." she promised.

Holly went back to watering her plants. A family vacation would be nice. Their family of six had now expanded to seven and she wanted to keep them close together no matter how big it got. It seemed like it was just yesterday that she and Robert were brining Ava home from the hospital. And now she was grown and married with a child of her own. She smiled as she watched Ava make her way back to the house. She could still see her running through the water sprinkler in her minnie mouse bathing suit and pigtails, pushing her brothers out of the way.

"Mom ."Benjamin called out as he half walked, half ran across the yard and down into the garden. He pulled her into a bear hug. "Happy mother's day."

"Thank you." she smiled. "How was your trip?"

"Not too bad." he replied. "The traffic sucked though. You would think fifty miles would be only an hour drive, not three."

"You didn't get a speeding ticket did you?"

"No ma'am." he said. "I went the speed limit. Mostly."

Benjamin was the oldest son at twenty two and he could not look more like his father if he tried. The only major difference in the two was that Robert was a spy and Benjamin was on his way to being a doctor. They acted alike. They thought like. They even had the same sense of adventure.

"Did you bring Olivia?" she asked. "I take it the two of you are still dating, right?"

"Uh..." he drew out. "We're kind of..living together." he said, slowly not sure of how she would react to the news. "It's a recent development."

"Oh." she was taken a little off guard. "Well I suppose it's better to test the grounds first before making an even bigger commitment." she said pausing and waiting. to see if he was going to add anything else in. After several long seconds she decided that was enough time. "If you're happy, Benjamin, then I'm happy."

"Thanks, mom." he hugged her again. "Olivia and I are going to set the table. Would you like to eat inside or outside?"

"Outside."

Sam watched as him mom made her way up through the yard and onto the patio. He opened the door to the sunroom so that she could come inside. "For you." he said, handing her drink. "My speciality."

Holly excepted the glass. "Thank you, sweetheart." she raised the glass to her lips. "Hard lemonade?" she questioned.

"I went easy this time." he said, closing the door behind her. "I promise."

She slowly took a sip. "Much better than earlier."

"Earlier it was long island ice tea."

"You know how I feel about tea."

"Yes, I know." he said with a smile. "It should only be served hot."

Holly sat down on the wicker sofa. "Where's Mia?"

"She's playing video games with Charlie." he said, flipping his head around to get his hair out of his face. "I was telling dad that he should build a skate ramp."

"Please do not give your father any ideas." she said, taking another drink of lemonade. "I think he would design and build anything at this point."

"Maybe I could just teach him to skateboard."

"I would love to see that." she laughed. "You can give him the first lesson after dinner."

Sam laughed. A laugh to match his mothers, deep and from the heart. He was third child and thought to be the final child. The perfect combination of Robert and Holly in the looks department. He seemed to be going through a skater phase and had been for the past four years. Holly hoped that he would grow out of it, but he was nineteen and thoroughly enjoying life. He had finished his freshman year at college with much hurrah and was looking forward to a break.

He sat down on the sofa beside his mom and picked up a pink envelope off the table beside him. "Happy mother's day, mom." he said, handing it to her.

Holly opened the card and read over it. Sam was always the sentimental one out of the bunch. No matter the occasion he always picked the most perfect card. And he always wrote his own message on the left side that was blank. "Thank you, Sam." she said, hugging him.

"I was half tempted to write my own card but I thought it would be too...childish."

"No." she disagreed. "Never. After all I am paying for art school...." she trailed off. "I like to see your work every once and a while."

"Well I'm working on something for Christmas." he told her. "I think your going to like it."

"I'm sure I'll love it."

"Charlie." Holly called out. "Come wash up for dinner."

"A few more minutes mom." he echoed from the family room. "I'm almost to level seven."

"Charles Sutton Scorpio." she said, firmly. "You've exceed your game limit for today."

Within seconds he was standing in the kitchen in front of his mother. "Sorry mommy." he said. "Do you want me to set the table?"

"After you wash your hands you can help your sister."

Charlie went over to the sink and began washing his hands. "Are you having a good day, mom?"

Holly smiled at her son. "Yes." she told him. "A perfect day."

"I like it when it's just the three of us." he told her, grabbing the dishtowel to dry his hands. "But I like it when everyone is here too."

Charlie at age nine was the fourth child. And a surprise at that. When he was born Ava was already sixteen, Benjamin was thirteen, and Samuel was ten. But the idea of starting all over faded within hours of learning that she was pregnant. He looked more like Holly than he did Robert but his sense of adventure and risk knew no bounds. He had three broken bones by the time he was six. And several sets of stitches to go along with them.

"You think after dinner Benjamin would help me with my kite?"

"I'm sure he would if you asked."

"I'm going to ask him now so I don't forget." he said, heading for the door. He quickly turned back around and few into his mothers arms. "I love you, mom."

Holly hugged him back, dropping a kiss into his dark hair. "I love you, too."

As Charlie left, Robert entered. "Can I get you anything, luv?"

She looked out onto the patio at her family. "No." she replied. "You've already given me more than I could ever ask for."

Robert followed her gaze. "They are great kids." he said. "We've had our ups and downs but it's been mostly good times."

"And I'm sure there's more to come."

Isabelle came running inside and over to her grandparents. "I picked flowers for you, grammy."

Holly scooped the curly haired blonde up into her arms. "Thank you."

"Yellow is your favorite." she said. "And mine too!"

Robert leaned over and kissed his granddaughter. And then his wife. "Happy mother's day, Holly."

The End.


End file.
